Last Updated: October 9, 2026
Program Overview
Marian’s 16-month hybrid ABSN offers January, May and August starts in Indianapolis and Nashville, pairing online nursing theory with required local labs, exams and clinical rotations.
Marian University’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing is a full-time, four-semester pathway for students with a previous non-nursing bachelor’s or graduate degree. A separate transfer route leads through Marian’s Associate of Science in Health Sciences (ASHS) before the accelerated nursing sequence begins.
The Leighton School of Nursing combines a Franciscan Catholic educational approach with preparation for professional nursing practice and the NCLEX-RN. The 16-month timeline describes the nursing sequence after admission requirements are met; prerequisite or ASHS coursework adds time before entry.
Program Format and Attendance
Nursing theory is delivered online, primarily asynchronously, while skills practice, simulation, examinations and clinical care require in-person attendance. Marian says students can expect to attend the program site for labs at least two days per week, in addition to assigned clinical and other requirements.
The Indianapolis site is at 9002 Purdue Road, Suite 400. Students need to live within practical commuting distance of the site and clinical facilities. The university advises students to focus on their nursing education because the full-time pace leaves limited room for employment.
The Nashville learning center is within Ascension Saint Thomas West at 4220 Harding Pike. This is the Tennessee location, rather than an Indianapolis facility; students choosing that site must be able to attend labs, examinations and clinicals in the Nashville area.
Accreditation and State Approval
Marian’s baccalaureate nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The university holds institutional accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission, and its 2026–27 catalog identifies Indiana State Board of Nursing approval. Graduates must satisfy the applicable examination and board requirements to receive an RN license.
Admissions Requirements
Second-Degree Pathway
- Hold a previous bachelor’s or graduate degree from an accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.80.
- Complete required prerequisite and general education courses with C or better.
- Earn at least a 2.80 GPA in the required science prerequisites before clinical nursing courses.
- Complete chemistry, anatomy, physiology and microbiology within seven years of university admission.
- Submit the complete application, required transcripts and proof of English-language proficiency as applicable.
ASHS Transfer Pathway
Applicants without a bachelor’s degree can begin Marian’s ASHS pathway with at least 30 non-nursing college credits and a 2.0 cumulative GPA. Progression into the ABSN requires completion of Marian’s ASHS degree and a 2.80 cumulative GPA. The 2.0 figure is an ASHS entry threshold, not the ABSN admission minimum.
The current admission requirements describe both routes. Admission to clinical nursing is competitive and depends on available faculty and clinical resources; a preliminary review does not guarantee a place. An advisor determines outstanding requirements after evaluating prior coursework.
Application Timing and Starts
Marian offers three starts each year: January, May and August, at both sites. The catalog says application deadlines are determined before each semester, so contact admissions for the actual cutoff for the intended cohort rather than treating a start month as an application deadline.
The application process begins with an advisor’s preliminary review of unofficial transcripts. Applicants then apply to Marian University and the Leighton School of Nursing with official records, complete remaining prerequisites and satisfy clinical-clearance requirements, including drug screening, background checks and required health documentation.
Prerequisites and Support Courses
The current prerequisite page lists 24 credits across four sciences and two psychology courses. An individual review may identify additional general education requirements. Sciences require C or better and a combined 2.8 GPA; the listed psychology courses require C or better.
| Required prerequisite | Credits |
|---|---|
BIO 214 — Introductory Microbiology | 4 |
BIO 225 — Human Anatomy | 5 |
BIO 226 — General Human Physiology | 5 |
CHE 100 — Elements of General and Biological Chemistry | 4 |
PSY 230 — Psychopathology | 3 |
PSY 220 — Human Growth and Development | 3 |
Three support courses total another 9 credits: PSY 205 Statistical Methods, THL 105 Introduction to Theology and a second approved theology course at the 200 level or above. Marian recommends completing them before admission where possible, but displays them within the accelerated sequence. These support courses require C or better.
Marian University Online offers accelerated prerequisite classes at $399 per credit. Have an advisor approve any outside equivalents and confirm remaining humanities or university requirements before registering. The prerequisite page explains course and grade expectations.
Curriculum
The published online ABSN sequence displays 64 credits, comprising 53 required nursing credits, 9 support-course credits and a 2-credit nursing elective labeled optional. The 2026–27 accelerated-track catalog lists the 15 required nursing courses and the three support courses. The final term therefore has 11 required credits, or 13 with the optional elective.
The following tables follow the online ABSN curriculum. Prior completion of approved support courses can change an individual registration plan. Every nursing course requires C+ or better, while support courses require C or better.
Semester One — 16 Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NSG 129 — Nursing Concepts & Connections | 1 | Professional nursing concepts and their connections to safe, person-centered practice. |
NSG 201 — Health Assessment & Communication | 4 | Holistic patient assessment, health histories and therapeutic communication across the lifespan. |
NSG 241 — Fundamentals | 4 | Foundational care skills, the nursing process and safe clinical practice. |
NSG 251 — Pharmacology and Dosage with Lab I | 4 | Drug principles, dosage calculations and safe medication administration with laboratory practice. |
NSG 211 — Pathophysiology | 3 | Disease mechanisms and their relationships to nursing assessment and care. |
Semester Two — 18 Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
THL 105 / approved THL — Theology support course | 3 | Theological learning within Marian’s Franciscan educational framework; approved course selection is individualized. |
NSG 335 — Mental Health Nursing | 4 | Therapeutic communication and evidence-based care of people with mental-health needs. |
NSG 331 — Care of the Adult Client in Community/Acute Care Settings | 5 | Adult nursing care in acute and community settings, with supervised clinical learning. |
NSG 322 — Community Health Nursing and Clinical | 3 | Population health, prevention and nursing interventions in community settings. |
PSY 205 — Statistical Methods | 3 | Statistical concepts supporting interpretation of data and nursing research. |
Semester Three — 17 Credits
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
THL 200+ — Second approved theology course | 3 | Further theological study through the student’s approved support-course selection. |
NSG 343 — Nursing Research and Informatics | 3 | Evidence appraisal, nursing research and information tools used in practice. |
NSG 307 — Care of the Childbearing Client in Community/Acute Care Settings | 3 | Maternal and family care during childbearing in hospital and community settings. |
NSG 317 — Care of the Pediatric Client in Community/Acute Care Settings | 3 | Developmentally appropriate care of children and partnership with their families. |
NSG 431 — Care of the Adult Client in Community/Acute Care Settings II | 5 | More complex adult health conditions and refinement of clinical judgment. |
Semester Four — 11 Required Credits; 13 with Optional Elective
| Course | Credits | What you study |
|---|---|---|
NSG 493 — Transition to Practice | 2 | Professional role transition and integration of knowledge for licensure preparation. |
NSG 441 — Leadership/Community in the Nursing Profession | 4 | Leadership, management and the organization of professional nursing care. |
NSG 451 — Clinical Immersion Experience | 5 | Concentrated clinical integration with supervised patient care, simulation and seminars. |
Nursing elective — Optional course credit | 2 | An optional nursing subject selected with the school; additional tuition applies if taken. |
Clinical Experience and Role Transition
The school’s clinical guidance places the first fundamentals rotation approximately halfway through semester one. Clinical learning continues across all four terms, including adult, mental-health, childbearing, pediatric and community care, before the final immersion.
Indianapolis students train through the program’s partnership with Ascension St. Vincent; Nashville students train through Ascension Saint Thomas. Placements and schedules vary, so a partnership does not guarantee a specific unit or hospital for an individual student. Budget for travel to assigned sites.
The final semester combines the five-credit Clinical Immersion Experience with Transition to Practice and leadership learning. Marian’s clinical page also describes job shadowing with health-care leaders during the fourth-semester leadership course. It describes hundreds of clinical practice hours without publishing a single exact program total on that page.
Tuition and Costs
The 2026–27 university rates and ABSN fee page list $960 per nursing credit. Applying that rate to the 53 required nursing credits gives $50,880 in required nursing tuition. This calculated figure excludes support courses, prerequisites, optional coursework and fees.
- Required nursing courses: 53 × $960 = $50,880.
- Optional two-credit nursing elective: 2 × $960 = $1,920 additional.
- Nine support-course credits would add $3,591 if all are taken through Marian University Online at $399 per credit; prior approved completion or a different registration arrangement changes the bill.
- The 24 listed prerequisite credits would cost $9,576 if all are newly taken through Marian University Online at $399 per credit. Individual transfer evaluation may reduce the amount needed.
The ABSN page separately lists a $275 Nursing Assessment & Clinical fee for students enrolled in clinicals, but does not state its assessment frequency. Request a written term-by-term quote instead of multiplying that fee by an assumed number of terms.
Books, uniforms, screening, immunizations, transportation and living expenses are additional. The amount displayed as tuition on this profile is required nursing tuition only, not a total attendance budget. Financial aid eligibility and confirmed awards should be reviewed with Marian’s financial-aid office.
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